Extra Care and a Boost

 March 25, 2021.  It is already Thursday evening.  It has been another day when it seems like I got very little done, but we were occupied all day.

We left our place this morning at 8:30 to travel to a town that should have been an hour away.  But it took us an hour and a half to our zone leader's flat in Reading (pronounced Redding).  From our parked car, we joined in the meeting we have with the zone every morning at 10.  After the meeting, we phoned the elders to tell them we had something for them and that we were right outside their apartment.

They came down, we handed them a bag with all the makings of the BBQ pizza.  We put ready-made pizza crust in the bag, but these guys are cooks and could probably easily make their own pizza dough.  The whole idea was to give them something tasty and quick and easy.  They seemed happy about it.

They came bearing gifts also!  They had three little containers of pumpkin cake roll.  One for us, and one for the Oxford Elders and the third for the Oxford Sisters.  They had written personalized notes to each of us and once again, I am thankful that someone feels like we are making a difference here.




We were happy to deliver them.  

Not only did we get stuck in heavy traffic on the way into Reading, but sat nearly still on the "major road = freeway" for a half an hour.  It seemed like such a long drive home, and we were both hungry by then.

After getting home, we grabbed a quick lunch and then went out to deliver the pumpkin cake rolls to the missionaries plus cookies I had made last night.

In the afternoon, SK worked on indexing, and I worked on preparing to participate in a discussion group from the ward about The Joy Luck Club.  I enjoyed it, but felt like it wasn't the best use of my mission time.  It that took the better part of the afternoon....It was nice to hear the comments and see what they thought about it.  And after all, I am here to be a part of things.

Before that discussion, we had the zoom meeting with the Oxford Elders and the people they are teaching.  In some ways that is my favorite meeting with them.  Later in the evening, we got together with the other 10 missionaries in our zone for game night.  SK and I did not do so well!  They had a Preach My Gospel chase.  They know that book!  Someone always had an answer before we could get off the table of contents page.  It's all in good fun.





They make a great twosome....they are doing a tremendous work in the city of Reading, and they are doing well at motivating everyone.

We watched a short video of a senior couple in Spain who are serving a young adult mission.  They said something that struck a responsive chord in my heart.  They said that since the lockdown began, they have realized that their ministering is aimed at the young missionaries.  Our young students need extra care, but the missionaries certainly need a boost every so often.  

Extra care and a boost now and then from someone who loves them is why we are here I guess.

Comments

Erin said…
It’s a great thought. It’s probably easy to see them as two separate groups—YSAs and Missionaries. But really all your missionaries are also your YSA’s so you are doing a great thing!

Did anything ever come of the puzzle race idea?

I am surprised you didn’t eat the pumpkin roll whist waiting in traffic. I keep utensils in my car for just such an “emergency” — I’m stuck in traffic and I’m hungry and I have a wonderful dessert to eat but it’s messy and I need utensils. Voila!

I’m sure they will love the pizza!
March 25, 2021 at 11:58 PM
Elder and Sister Madsen said…
Erin, everyone so far has absolutely loved the pizza! And it is such a great kit to deliver, for whenever they need something quick and tasty.
We saw the missionaries and young adults as completely separate in Denmark, and here for the first few months. Our area authority says now that we are to call them Young Adults, and that does include missionaries, young single adults, and young married adults. We have several young marrieds in the ward, but they have little ones, and so have kind of formed their own support group.
I will pack a few plastic utensils today for the car. That's brilliant!
March 26, 2021 at 8:32 AM
melissa said…
Those pizza kits are brilliant!! Everyone loves an easy, delicious meal to throw together. And I’m sure you are there for the missionaries just as much as the others. They are all Young single adults!!
March 28, 2021 at 12:46 PM
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